Nozzle



May 22, 1951 A. J. LOEPSINGER NOZZLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 25, 1946ez'iglizoezzrwlagee 15221622502 @ae zeezg y 1951 I A. J. LOEPSINGER 2,54,200

NOZZLE Filed May 25, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 i Pea E4 30 56 26 I Eme&%a' /K W awz'eag M y 1951. A. J. LOEPSINGER 2,554,200

' NOZZLE Filed May 25, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 5 9 1 90 m?fiZaepsz'zggez' %m62 94 Z r was Patented May 22, 1951 NOZZLE Albert J.Loepsinger, Providence, R. I., assignor to Grinnell Corporation,Providence, R. 'I., a

corporation of Delaware Application May 25, 1946', Serial No. 672,178

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in nozzles. More especially ithas to do with: a hose nozzle having means whereby the liquid can bedischarged from the nozzle either in the form of aspray or as a solidstream, or can be shut off tightly.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a nozzlehaving unrestricted and substantially straightway passageways for flowof liquid to produce either a spray or a solid stream, having valveelements for selectively closing or opening either passageway or forshutting off flow altogether, and having resilient means permitting easyoperation of the movable parts while insuring tight closure with no unldesirable leakage. .It is also an object to provide a rugged yet lightnozzle having parts vso designed and assembled that the nozzle may bereadily and easily disassembled if necessary.

The best mode in which it has been contemplated to apply the principlesof my invention are shown in the accompanying drawings but these are tobe deemed illustrative for it is intended that the patent shall cover bysuitable expression in the appended claim whatever features ofpatentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the appended drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a nozzle-embodying the present improvementsand equipped with a spray projector;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a side view, at greatly'reduced scale, of the nozzle with apipe and spray applicator. attached thereto in place of the projector;

Fig. 5 is aplan view insection taken as on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showingintegral valve elements;

Fig. 6 is an elevation in section, taken as on line 6-6 of Fig. 5, of aportion of the nozzle;

Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 5 but showing unconnectedseparate'valve elements;

Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 5 butshowing separate valve elementsoperatively connected together; i

Fig. 9 is an elevation in section taken as on line 99 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a similar elevation in section taken as on line Ill-l of Fig.

Fig. 11 is a perspective of the valve seat element, with parts brokenaway to show the construction;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of the section shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 13 is a front view of the spring backing plate; and

Fig. 14 is a side view of the same.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive,the nozzle comprises a body l0 composed of only two parts l2 and 14 heldtogether by two screws 16 and I8, which need only be removed by a screwdriver to dis-,

assemble the body and give access to the internal parts. Clamped betweenthe front and rear body parts is a seat element 20 which not onlyprovides seats for the valve elements to be described but also serves asa gasket between the front and rear parts of the body. In the rear partl4 (see Fig. 5) is an inlet chamber. 22 with a single inlet 24 havinginterior threads for attachment to a supply line, usually an ordinaryfire hose. The forward part of the nozzle has two outlet passageways 25and 28, one (25) forthe discharge of a solid stream of liquid and theother (28) being adapted to receive and hold a device 30 which producesa spray discharge.

This device as shown in Figs. v1, 2, 3 and i5 is termed a projector .andis used to produce a so-called high velocity spray. This is a relativelyshort device which can be slipped into the passageway '28 and thenturned to effect engagement with a latch 32 which removably locks theprojector to the nozzle. This projector (see Fig. 5) has a centralelement 34 forming with the interior wall. of the projector casingseveral helical passageways 35 from which the liquid enters a mixingchamber 38 in a tip 40. The whirl given the liquid as it leaves thehelical passageways, followed by the mixing in the chamber 38 of thewhirling streams and a central stream issuing from a straight butslightly expanding central passageway 42 causes the discharge from theorifice 44 to be in the form of a rather heavy spray composed of fairlylarge droplets moving at high velocity. This form of spray isparticularly efiective for extinguishing fires of heavier oils and underreasonably favor able conditions is also effective on some of thelighter flammable liquids. It is also useful on wood and similar fireswhere the amount of combustible material is fairly small.

For ordinary fires or for mopping-up operations to put out fires.started from the blaze of the flammable liquids but burning beyond "thenormal range of the spray, a solid stream from the other outlet orifice46 is used. This outlet and the passageway 26' leading to it are of suchsize that when used for discharge the reaction element 12.

6 of the nozzle is not dangerously greater than that produced by theformation of the spray.

In Fig. 4 the nozzle is shown with the projector replaced by a pipe 48having a so-called applicator 50 at its end. .The latter is capable ofbreaking the liquid up into a fine spray whose droplets move at a slowervelocity than those discharged from the projector 30. The low velocityspray, while effective on oil and quick burning fires of wood and othersolids involving moderate amounts of material, is primarily intended forextinguishing fires of liquids having a relatively high degree offlammability, such as kerosene for example. The pipe 48, preferablycurved as shown, is useful in getting at inaccessible places, as throughdoors, windows and other openings. It also enables the user of thenozzle to reach an intensely hot fire, as in a tank of highly flammablematerial, while standing at a distance therefrom in a safe position.

On the outside of the body of the nozzle is a handle 52 which (see Fig.3) is movable from a forwardly inclined position indicated at 52, to arearwardly inclined position, indicated at 52". With the handle forwardthe nozzle is entirely closed. When at the central position (shown infull lines) midway between the forward and rearward positions, thenozzle is open for discharge fiow through the spray passageway 28 butclosed against flow through the solid stream passageway 26. Whenrearward the nozzle is open for discharge through the solid streampassageway but closed as respects the spray passageway. This order ofcontrol enables a fire fighter on approaching a fire to first dischargethe fire extinguishing medium in the form of a spray as a measure ofprotection. That is to say, if the projector 35 is being used, the highvelocity discharge-spreads uniformly over an appreciable range andserves as a protection to the fire fighter, enabling him to move towardhot fires with safety and confidence. If the pipe '48 and applicator 50are used, the spray also gives such protection but the length of thepipe avoids the necessity of the fire fighter getting quite so close tothe blaze. After either form of spray has extinguished the immediatefire, the handle can be turned further rearward to discharge the solidstream for more distant remnants of the flames.

Looking at Figs. 5 and 9, the yoke arm 52a of the handle is pinned at 54to an axle 5S journ'aled in a sleeve bearing 58 projecting outward fromthe rear part of the body. The other yoke arm 52b is likewise pinned at60 to another axle 62 which extends through a suitable stuffing boxassembly 64 and has a tongue 62a across its inner end. This tongueengages a groove or slot 68a at one end of a ball-like valve element 68which is integrally joined at to another ball-like valve The side of thelatter, opposite the integral connection 10, has a flat face 12a. Uponmovement of the handle 52 as heretofore described, the integral valveelements 68 and 12 are rotated about the common axis of the two axles 56and 62, albeit the tongue (62a) and slot (68a) connection permits ofsome minor movement of the valve elements to adjust themselves nicelyagainst their respective seats in the seat element 20, shown in detailin Figs. 11 and 12.

Each ball element has a large diametrical hole (H, 16) which, whenaligned with the axis of its respective outlet passageway in the frontpart i2 Of thebody, enables the liquid to flow throughout the nozzle inan unrestricted substantially straightway course. The holes of the twoballs are so disposed that when one hole is in position for flowtherethrough the other hole is at an angle of approximately 60 with theaxis of its respective outlet.

The seat element 20 (see Figs. 11 and 12) comprises a perforated metalplate 18 molded within a cover of rubber or like material 80. Holes 82are provided at opposite edges to accommodate the screws l6 and 18 whichhold the parts of the body of the nozzle together. Other holes 84 and 86are provided for the flow of the fluid through the passageways of thenozzle. On the side of the plate toward the ball valves, the resilientmaterial immediately around the holes 84 and 86 is spherically-shaped toprovide seats 88, 90 for the valves, the configuration of the seatsconforming to the spherical surface of each ball-like element. Justoutside of these spherical surfaces 88, 90 the resilient material has aconical surface 92, 94 which slopes from the edge of the spherical seatto the flat surface of the element. This particular arrangement ofsurfaces, is clearly shown in Fig. 12. By thus providing a rather narrowseating ring 88, 90 less friction is encountered when a valve element isturned, and by providing the conical surface 92, 94 leading to theseating ring, there is no appreciable interference with the edge of thehole (14, 16) through the valve element. Despite the small extent of theactual seating surface in contact with a valve element, tight closure iseffected and prevents any leakage when either or both valve elements arein their closed positions.

Looking at Fig. 12, it is to be noted that the under side of the seatelement 20, that is the side remote from the valve elements 58, i2, isundercut at 96, 98 around each hole 84, 85. This undercutting enhancesthe resilience of the actual seating ring portions 88, 98 of the seatelement and enables these ring portions to more readily yield as a valveelement is turned and the edges of its central hole encounter theseating ring. Moreover, the resiliency of the ring portions 88, 90 isimportant when the solid surface of a valve element comes into contacttherewith. It is to be noted that the undercut portion (98, 98) extendsunder the spherically-shaped seat (88, 90) so that the latter is ineffect an unsupported flexible inner portion of the seat, while theportion under the conical surface (92, 94) is well supported and may bedeemed to be relatively inflexible as compared to the spherically-shapedseat. This results in the valve being tight against leakage when closedbecause as the solid surface of the valve is pressed toward its seat thesphericallyshaped seat or unsupported flexible inner portion yieldsslightly under both the force of the water pressure and a backing plate109, presently to be described. After the spherically-shaped seat thusyields the valve then brings up against the conical surface orrelatively inflexible outer portion of the seat and is therebyrestrained, and the movement of the valve toward its seat is therebylimited. As before stated, this effects a tight closure and prevents anyleakage past the valve.

The ball valves are urged toward their respective seats by a springbacking plate It) (see Figs. 13 and 14) which is shaped like a nearlyfiat figure eight. This plate, viewed fiatwise as in Fig. 13 has twoholes I02, I04 with edges [02a and Ill la faced off to fit portions ofthe spherical surfaces of the ball valves. At the center of the plate isa third hole I06 for a screw I08 that clamps the plate to a partitionIII! in the rear part I 4 of the body (see Fig. As shown edgewise inFig. 14, the plate is appreciably bowed but when in place in the nozzle,it is somewhat unbowed by the valve balls 68 and 72 which are positionedbetween it and the valve seat element 20. Consequently the resilientforce of the backing plate continuously urges the ball valves toward thevalve seat element and with the force of the water acting on the sameside of the balls they are held tight against leakage when closed.Nevertheless because the back plate is yieldable the valve elements maybe turned readily by the handle with a manual efiort surprisingly smallfor a nozzle of this kind.

In Fig. 7 a modification is shown wherein the valve elements 68' and 12'are separately turned by the handle 52. In this arrangement the yoke arm52a is pinned to an axle H2 which is a duplicate of the axle 62 on theother side of the nozzle. There is also duplicated the same tongue (2(1)and slot (H4) connection between this axle I I2 and the ball valve 12'.At the other side is the previously described axle 62 and tongue 62a.engaging a slot 68'a in the ball valve 68'. These ball valve elementsare physically separate elements but are moved and positionedsimultaneously by the handle.

In Fig. 8, the valve elements 68" and 72 are shown as separate unitshaving an operative connection provided by a tongue and slot connection.The valve element 68" has the same tongue (62a) and slot (68"a)connection with the axle 62 as has been described in connection with thestructure shown in Figs. 5 and 7. On the opposite side of this valveelement 68" is a surface that is flat except for a spaced pair of ribs68"!) outstanding therefrom. These ribs provide a slot for a tongue 12"aoutstanding from an otherwise flat surface on the second ball-like valve12". This slot and tongue connection, like that between the firstmentioned ball and the handle axle, causes simultaneous movement of thesecond ball with that of the first ball while still permitting someindependent adjustment of the two balls to their seats on the element20.

At one side of the nozzle, protuberances H6 (see Fig. 3) are provided toserve as stops for the handle at the ends of its arc of movement. Aspring actuated detent pin H8 (see Fig. 9), carried by the handle,cooperates with a suitable depression I in the valve body to yieldinglyhold the handle in its central position.

I claim:

A nozzle comprising a two-part body having in one body part a commoninlet chamber with separate flow passageways leading therefrom andhaving in the other body part separate discharge passageways alignedwith said flow passageways; a plate-like element constituting a gasketbetween said body parts and having holes therethrough at the entrance toeach said discharge passageway; an integral valve element in the firstsaid body part having ball-like portions in each flow passageway seatingon said plate-like element with a diametrical hole through one portionin angular relation to a diametrical hole through the other portion; anexternal handle rotatably mounted on the first said body part forrotation about an axis extending diametrically through both saidball-like portions at right angles to the lines of flow through saidflow passageways, said handle being operatively connected with saidvalve element whereby said valve element may be rotated to eiTectsimultaneous closure of both said holes in the said plate-like elementor closure of either of said holes selectively; said plate-like elementimmediately around each hole therethrough having a spherically-shapedannular surface for engagement by the spherical surface of itsrespective ball-like portion and having a contiguous conical annularsurface diverging from said sphericallyshaped annular surface forinitial engagement with the edge of the diametrical hole through aball-like portion as the latter is rotated to bring its diametrical holeinto alignment with its respective hole in the plate-like element; and aspring backing plate mounted in the first said body part and engagingeach said ball-like portion so as to exert a pressure thereon urging ittoward said plate-like element.

ALBERT J. LOEPSINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 170,138 Westland Nov. 16, 1875913,632 Foster Feb. 23, 1909 924,867 Winfield et a1 June 15, 19091,309,732 Hawley July 15, 1919 2,039,220 Heggem Apr. 28, 1936 2,117,456Schellin May 17, 1938 2,173,949 Neveu Sept. 26, 1939 2,201,895 Glen May21, 1940 2,297,161 Newton Sept. 29, 1942 2,337,321 Freeman Dec. 21, 19432,364,848 Hurst Dec. 12, 1944 2,373,628 Gleeson Apr. 10, 1945 2,415,285Hurst Feb. 4, 1947 2,484,942 Guise Oct. 18, 1949

